What your customers can do in the 3D view
Orientation cube, dimensions, edge outlines, section view, measuring and hole sizes. Everything shown is read from your CAD geometry; nothing is guessed.
Every catalog has the same tools, wherever it’s shown. On a computer they sit in a slim strip under the orientation cube in the top-left corner; on a phone they’re behind the tools button in the lower-left corner.
Only what the CAD says. Sizes, distances and holes are read from the geometry in your STEP file. Where the geometry can’t say something for certain (a thread, a fit, a material you didn’t give), the catalog shows nothing rather than a guess.
Orientation cube#
The labelled cube (Top, Front, Right…) turns with the model, so customers always know which way they’re looking. Drag it to turn the model; click a face to swing round to that view.
Dimensions#
Length, width and height lines on the selected part, or on the whole assembly when nothing is selected and it’s put together. Sizes are the part’s exact extents, including round edges, to 0.01 mm or 0.001 in. Click any label to switch between millimetres and inches.
Edge outlines#
Thin dark lines on each part’s real edges, like a CAD drawing, which make shapes easier to read on screen.
Section view#
Cuts the model with a plane across X, Y or Z (the CAD file’s axes). Drag the slider to move the cut, and Flip to see the other half. Cut faces are capped and hatched so solid material is easy to tell from hollow.
Measure#
Click two points for the straight-line distance between them, with ΔX, ΔY and ΔZ. Points snap to exact corners, to the centres of round edges (hole centres), or to points on flat faces. Curved faces aren’t used, because a point picked on one isn’t a precise feature. Click a measurement’s label to switch units.
Hole sizes#
Labels each round hole in the selected part with its diameter, fitted exactly through the hole’s edge, and its depth where the CAD gives one. Identical holes are grouped (“4 × hole Ø13.50 mm, depth 20.00 mm”) in the part’s details. Threads and fits aren’t shown, because a STEP file doesn’t carry them reliably.
Turn a part#
Pick the tool, click a part, and drag to turn it on the spot, to see its holes, underside and back faces. The rest of the model fades and the view moves in on the part. Nothing changes in the catalog: Put it back, or closing the tool, returns the part and the view to exactly where they were.
Look closer at a part#
Double-click any part: the view moves in toward that spot and turns round it, instead of the whole model’s centre. That makes small parts in a big assembly easy to look round. Click empty space to let go of the part: the view stays where it is and turns back to face the whole model. Fit goes back to the starting view.
Hide parts to see behind them#
Right-click a part, or press and hold it on a phone, for a short menu: hide that part, hide all its copies (every identical screw, say), hide the subassembly it’s in, or show only it or its subassembly. A line at the top of the view says how many parts are hidden, with Show all to bring them back. Picking a hidden part from the parts list brings it back too. Nothing changes in the catalog: it’s only for the person looking. (In the editor, hiding parts from customers is the eye in the structure; this menu is in Preview.)
Material and weight#
When a part has a material in the catalog (from the editor or the BOM), its details show the material and a calculated weight: the part’s volume from the CAD multiplied by the material’s density, marked “calc.”. Parts without a material show neither.
Everything else customers use#
- Explode slider and Step by step: take it apart all at once, or a step at a time with your instructions. When you’ve saved a camera for the steps, play moves the view with them (step cameras).
- Callouts: numbered balloons on the parts, matching the parts list. On a big assembly they go on the selected parts and the biggest on screen; zoom in for more.
- The parts list: every part with its number, price and stock, grouped by subassembly. Customers search it by name or number, point at a part to light it up in the model, click to see its details, or press + to add it to their request. Searching across every catalog is on the parts portal.
- Copy link on a part, Fit to reframe, Parts manual to print.